Photo sharing app Instagram has announced that it will soon start putting ads on the Explore page. People go to the Explore page to discover new content related to their interests. While the ads won’t appear on the Explore grid itself, they will appear after a user taps on an Explore post and scrolls through that feed. The ads will come in the form of photos and videos just like they are present in Stories and Home feeds.
Instagram said that the team will start working with other select partners over the course of next few weeks to roll out Explore ads to everyone.
‘The Explore page made for an obvious fit because it’s where people come to discover new accounts or people or brands that they don’t already follow,’ the Verge quoted Susan Buckner Rose, Instagram’s Director of business product marketing.
According to Instagram, Explore is used by over 50 per cent users and features content posted to Instagram every day and shows what’s most relevant to you.
While users are interested in searching and exploring new brands in Explore feeds, most of them may not like seeing more ads in their feeds, as Instagram already shows ads in Stories and Home feeds. Thus, adding ads to more places might make Instagram frustrating for some users who are there for an authentic experience.
But as we all know Instagram is an ad-run business, and it needs to meet brands’ expectations.
In May, Instagram announced new design update in Explore, featuring a navigation bar that has shortcuts to IGTV and Shopping, followed by topic channels tailored to your interests, such as Food, Art and Travel. ‘IGTV’ and ‘Shop’ shortcuts are pinned to the front of the bar, making it easier to find products and videos from brands and creators you love.
